Brew Crew admits to shopping 9-3 ace Greinke

By The Associated Press

July 27, 2012 - 2:00 AM

MILWAUKEE — After a rough road trip seemingly knocked the Milwaukee Brewers out of contention, general manager Doug Melvin acknowledges that the team is fielding trade inquiries for ace pitcher Zack Greinke.

Melvin did not go into detail on how many teams have expressed interest in the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner, saying only that the trade market always heats up with the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaching.

Greinke is scheduled to pitch Sunday's game against Washington at Miller Park, but Nationals manager Davey Johnson said he'd be surprised if that happens.

"I'd be real surprised," Johnson said. "If a ballclub's intent on making a move, they're not going to pitch him two days before the deadline. That's probably why they've got eight pitchers in the bullpen. I'm surprised he's still here."

Despite losing Prince Fielder to free agency in the offseason, the Brewers expected to be contenders in the NL Central again this season. Instead, they enter Thursday night's game against the Nationals 9 1-2 games behind the division-leading Cincinnati Reds.

Melvin said he never expected to be talking about trading away one of his top players at the deadline. Greinke is 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA this season.

He pitched three straight starts for the Brewers around the All-Star break — he was ejected in the first inning of a July 7 game at Houston, started again the next day and then pitched the Brewers' first game after the break.

The team then scrubbed Greinke from his next start, saying the odd stretch of starts had taken him out of his routine and worn him down.